Hackers reportedly used a SQL injection vulnerability to alter content on the site, powered by Apache servers running on a Unix platform.

As security blog Hackademix, which captured the attack, notes it's surprising for such a high-profile site to leave itself exposed to such a well understood class of flaw.

The site was restored, and the offending content purged, on Sunday afternoon. UN techies patched the main vulnerability involved in the attack, but Hackademix reckons the site is yet to be fully protected against similar attacks in future. ®